Wolf Moon (Moon series)

by Lisa Kessler

  The group was battered, but we were far from beaten. I picked up a plate and made some tacos, then left the others and went into the living room. Luke’s knee was wrapped tightly, with an ice pack sitting on top. His eyes tracked my every move.

  I sat beside him, and he leaned over, kissing my temple. “Missed you.”

  “You were busy making plans.” I offered him a taco.

  “Plans?” He took a bite and groaned. He swallowed and grinned. “Best taco I’ve ever had.”

  “You’re just really hungry.” But I had to admit, it was a damned fine taco. Maybe I was starving, too.

  He polished off a second taco and glanced my way. “Jason is pretty sure the bone isn’t broken. We’re going to take an X-ray at Cole’s office just to be sure, but I probably tore the ligaments.”

  “How long will you be laid up?”

  He shrugged. “I guess it’ll depend on whether or not my kneecap is broken. Hopefully the bone is fine. If it’s just ligaments, maybe a week or two.”

  I swallowed another bite. “Then you’ll be good to travel?”

  “Travel? Where are we going?”

  My heart thumped. “I thought we were going to Reno.”

  “Oh.” He nodded, focusing on the tacos. “Yeah. There’s still a lot to settle here first.”

  I set the plate aside. Not sure if I wanted to know the answer. “How long do you think you’re going to want to stay here?”

  He took my uninjured hand. “We don’t need to figure that out tonight.” He tightened his hold. “Tonight we mourn the ones we lost and celebrate a future without Caldwell.”

  I nodded and handed him another taco.

  Suddenly, I wasn’t very hungry.

  Chapter Twenty-Eight

  Luke

  Jason went out and bought me a crutch while the others cleaned up the kitchen. Jett made it back and let us know the police gave the bar a noise violation. For now, we were in the clear.

  Asher and my brother went out back to prepare the bodies while I hoisted myself up onto my feet. With the crutch under my arm, I was careful not to put weight on my injured leg as I moved through the house.

  I checked room by room, but no Raven. Finally, I opened the front door and found her sitting in a chair, staring up at the moon. It was still pretty bright, just beginning to wane. Before I could get to her, she called over.

  “You should be resting.” She didn’t take her eyes off the moon overhead.

  “I can rest later. It’s you I’m worried about.” I hobbled out to her and sat in the other chair. “Talk to me.”

  She finally met my eyes. “I’m all right. I think.” She shrugged. “Just not sure what’s coming next.”

  I reached for her good hand. “You still need to let Jason fix up your hand.”

  “I know. Maybe after…” She shuddered and crossed her arms. “How’s Brock?”

  “Not good. Jason’s got him comfortable, but without exploratory surgery in a hospital, he can’t find where he’s bleeding internally.”

  She turned her face to the moon again. “He’s dying.”

  I wished I could give her better news, but I wasn’t going to lie. “Probably. There’s always hope that his body will heal on its own, but…Jason isn’t sure he’ll survive the night.”

  She swiped a tear from her cheek. “I didn’t even know him.” She pressed her lips together, pulling in a deep breath. “But he didn’t know me, either, and he still ran into that bar to help us. He could’ve run away and left Sedona behind. He’d still be alive.”

  I caressed her cheek until her eyes met mine. “He’s a good man. They all are.”

  “They just need an Alpha.”

  Her tone was dry, like an accusation. I frowned. “What’s going on?”

  “Nothing.” She dropped my hand and stood up. “Everything.” She turned toward the house. “Kaya told me they want you to be the new Alpha here. That all this would be ours.” She swung her arm at the surroundings. “You’d be crazy not to take it.”

  I raised a brow and hauled myself back up on my feet. “This isn’t like a job offer, Raven. It’s supposed to be passed from father to eldest son, but Caldwell didn’t leave a grown heir, so someone in this Pack will need to rise up and accept the responsibility and the power that comes with it.”

  “And they want it to be you.”

  “Tonight they do.” I glanced at the house. “Tomorrow it might be someone else. Nothing is being decided right now.”

  Her heart was racing, but I had no clue why. Frustration brewed inside me, fed by the throbbing pain in my leg. If I wasn’t careful, I’d probably say something that would come back to bite me in the ass.

  I held out my hand. “Let’s go honor the fallen Pack members, then we can get everyone settled in here and we’ll go home. Just like we talked about.”

  She nodded and walked toward the house, her arms wrapped tight around her middle. “Back to your place at the ranch. I don’t have a home.”

  The door closed behind her, leaving me alone in the dark with no idea why.

  Out back, Asher and Logan had Chase and Ryan’s bodies on wooden pyres. One bitten and one born wolf. Both dead. Their skin glistened in the moonlight, the oil already covering them.

  Caldwell hadn’t passed on any of our traditions to this Pack, so I stood at the end by their heads. Usually the Alpha led the ceremony, and for now, I would stand in.

  Logan and Asher held torches, ready to light the pyres. My gaze traveled around the circle, taking in all the battered faces. “We offer our brothers back to the moon and the night. May their spirits be lifted, free to run with the pack of our ancestors and watch over those they left behind.”

  I glanced at Cole on my left. “It’s tradition for each Pack member to speak before the pyre is lit.”

  Cole cleared his throat, but his voice was gravelly, broken. “My brother, my blood, my best friend.” He shook his head and wiped his eyes. “I miss you already.”

  One by one, each member of the Pack said a few words.

  Gage spoke up for Ryan. “We were trapped in that unit, but you never lost faith that we’d get out. You stood up to Caldwell more than once, and he rewarded you with solitary confinement and no mate, but it never shook your hope for the future.” He paused, clearing his throat. “Caldwell is never going to hurt anyone else. Because of you. I’ll never forget you, Ryan.”

  When we got to Raven, she tipped her head and looked up at the moon. “I didn’t know Chase or Ryan well, but I know they didn’t deserve to die. I hope wherever they are, they’re without pain or worry.”

  I nodded, and Asher and Logan touched the torches to the pyres. The fire blazed forward, roaring as the oil fed the flames. One by one, everyone retreated into the house. I stayed behind with Cole. Usually the Alpha would watch over the pyres. I would have to do for now. Raven took my hand, our fingers lacing together.

  The heat from the fire knocked us back a few steps as the smoke curled its way up to the heavens. I looked down at her and whispered, “You can go inside. We still need to burn Caldwell’s body, too.”

  She nodded. “I’ll see you soon.”

  It would be hours before the flames died down. Cole went inside before we lit up Caldwell’s remains. We didn’t have a ceremony for him. He’d betrayed his Pack, and werewolves in general. He was no hero, his death no tragedy.

  Through it all, my twin brother and Asher were at my side. Silent sentinels.

  By the time I got in the house, my knee was swollen and throbbing. Raven had drifted off, curled up on the leather sofa. I settled down beside her, lifting her head onto my lap. She snuggled in without waking as I stroked her hair.

  We weren’t going anywhere tonight.

  Someone was sobbing. I woke with a jerk, scanning the room for the source. Raven was still sound asleep, her head on my lap. Careful not to wake her, I got up, grinding my teeth to keep from cursing. My knee hurt like a motherfucker. Shit!

  I grabbed my crutch and
followed the sniffling.

  Jason met me at the doorway, his voice low and all business. “I did all I could short of opening him up, but…we lost Brock.”

  I peered around him. Naomi sat at Brock’s side, wiping her nose. Samantha had all four little boys over by the window.

  I clasped Jason’s forearm. “Thanks for trying.”

  His eyes were red and swollen. Had he slept at all last night?

  He glanced over his shoulder and back to me. “Trying wasn’t enough this time.”

  “Go rest. I’ll stay with them.”

  He nodded and walked down the hallway. I went inside and dragged a chair over to the other side of Naomi. “I’m sorry.”

  She looked over at me, drying her cheek. “I’m not sure why I’m crying. I barely knew him. We slept together a few times when Caldwell ordered it, comfort in a horrible situation.” She stroked his hair back from his forehead. “But he was always kind to me. And he loved those boys. He never wondered if they were his. He didn’t care.”

  “He was a good man, and you’d still be locked in those units if he hadn’t helped us with Caldwell.”

  She opened her mouth to speak when glass broke. We both looked up as Samantha fell to the floor. Blood blossomed on her white T-shirt, a single bullet into the heart.

  “Get down!” We all hit the ground just as another silent bullet burst through the window and slammed into the wall.

  Naomi crawled to the boys, pulling them all down onto their bellies.

  “Stay here.” I used my elbows to drag my body across the room; Logan was already in the hallway.

  “Are we under fire?”

  I nodded. “Someone’s out there.” When we had a wall between us and the window, Logan pulled me up to my feet. I grimaced but kept my balance.

  He frowned, looking me over. “Are you hit?”

  “No. But I think Samantha’s dead.” I hobbled into the living room to check on Raven. “Close all the blinds. I’ll grab my rifle.” I glanced at Logan. “Did you bring yours?”

  He shook his head. “TSA would’ve shit themselves.”

  “Right. Okay, ask Isabelle if Caldwell has a gun safe. I can’t imagine he stayed here unarmed.”

  Logan rushed through the house, careful to get the blinds closed. Raven frowned. “What’s going on?”

  “I think Blake’s back. He got Samantha through the window.”

  The color drained from her face. “Shit.”

  “Yeah. Stay low and away from the windows.”

  She crept over to my side. “What can I do?”

  “I’ve got my rifle and scope here, but I need some help getting up to get a clear vantage point.”

  She crossed her arms. “You are not going up on the roof.”

  “Got a better idea?”

  She groaned. “Can’t Logan take your rifle and do it?”

  “Someone who is more mobile than me needs to stay here and protect the house. Give my brother my Glock.”

  She rolled her eyes. “This is crazy.”

  “I don’t have time to argue with you.” I grabbed my rifle from the counter where Gage left it the night before. “Fuck.”

  “What?”

  I stared at the front door. “My ammo is out in the van.”

  Chapter Twenty-Nine

  Raven

  My thoughts were a tangled jumble. Samantha was dead or dying somewhere in the house, Luke was going to drag himself up on the roof with a bum knee, and now we needed someone to get to the van while avoiding fire from a crazed werewolf gunman outside.

  Isabelle came in with two handguns and a few clips of bullets. “Logan told me to grab weapons.”

  Luke turned her way. “Yeah, the extra ammo for my rifle is in the van.”

  Logan came up behind her. “I’ll get it if someone can cover me.”

  “No.” Luke tensed beside me. “There’s got to be a better way.”

  Isabelle pulled the slide back on the Glock. “I’ll cover you.”

  “Maybe there’s another way.” My pulse pounded in my ears as all the attention focused on me.

  “Rave, we can’t stay in here hiding.” Isabelle gestured toward the window. “We’re sitting ducks.”

  I yanked out my cell phone and hit Blake’s number. He answered on the first ring.

  “Bo’s dead.”

  I swallowed the lump in my throat. If I could keep him on the phone, he wouldn’t be able to shoot at us. “So are Caldwell, Chase, Brock, and Ryan. None of it will bring Bo back.”

  “Maybe not, but when I kill Luke Reynolds, I’ll know you’re hurting, too. That’s all that matters.”

  All the wolves in the room could hear the conversation, but I gestured for them to keep quiet. “Caldwell’s dead. You don’t have to fight his battles anymore.”

  “Everything was fine until Reynolds came to town and claimed you as his mate.”

  Rage smoldered deep in my belly. “Nothing was right until Luke came to town. I know you hated sharing me with you brother. That was all Caldwell’s doing. You can still find your real mate. She’s out there somewhere.”

  “It’s too late for that.”

  “No.” I met Luke’s eyes. “It’s never too late.”

  He nodded slowly and gestured to Logan. While they headed for the back door, I kept Blake talking. “Blake? Did you hear me? You can join us. Help us heal this Pack, and find your mate. Caldwell’s dead. His rules don’t apply anymore.”

  “Spare me your sunshine bullshit. You’d kill me yourself if you got the chance.”

  I shook my head. “I know you had no choice. We were all pawns in Caldwell’s game.”

  “He was like a father to me!” he shouted, his voice choking up at the end. “My whole family is gone now. Because of you. I want you to hurt like I do. First I’m going to kill Reynolds, and then your cunt of a sister.”

  “You sack of shit!” I was screaming now, but I didn’t care. I embraced the rage. “You don’t give a crap who you hurt. Samantha’s dead. Because of you, her babies have no mother now. She never asked to be bitten or be a part of this sick excuse for a Pack. You killed an innocent, unarmed woman. Do you feel good about that, you bastard?”

  “Casualty of war.”

  “War?” I paced, walking off some of my frustration. “This isn’t a war. This is a loose-cannon asshole who thinks killing other people will make the hurting stop. Well, guess what? The hurting never ends. It infects every part of your life and turns you into someone you don’t recognize anymore.”

  Logan came back in, and Luke was already loading his rifle.

  “Spare me, bitch. I’m coming for you.”

  He ended the call. I turned around as Luke hooked the rifle over his shoulder.

  I sighed. “You’re sure about this?” He nodded and came forward to embrace me. I clung to him and whispered, “Be careful.”

  He kissed my hair, his lips against my ear. “I love you, Raven.”

  Logan helped him out through the kitchen. A bullet crashed through the closed blinds in the living room. We all hit the floor. Outside, Luke pulled himself up onto the roof. I tried Blake’s number again. It went directly to voicemail.

  Logan stormed through the house and opened the front door, taking cover inside against the doorframe. Two bullets flew through the opening, breaking glass in the kitchen. Logan leaned into the doorway and fired off rapid-fire shots before taking cover again.

  Above us, Luke thumped on the roof.

  Another bullet came through the door and was answered by a loud bang from the rooftop. I held my breath. We all did.

  Logan peered outside and fired one more shot. He took cover. We waited.

  No return fire.

  Luke was on the move. Finally he shouted from the edge of the roof, “Need some help over here.”

  Logan supported Luke’s weight as he came down from the roof. The rest of us tentatively got to our feet. With all the gunfire, we were lucky Caldwell’s estate covered acres of land on the outskirt
s of Sedona. There weren’t any neighbors to report the noise, so we probably wouldn’t have a visit from local law enforcement.

  I crossed the room to help steady Luke. “One shot?”

  He held me a little tighter. “He made it easy. No cover, just firing at the house in the open.”

  I led Luke to the couch while Logan grabbed a holster and put it on. Once he had the gun holstered, he headed for the door. “I’ll bring his body around back.”

  Jason came out from the back room, carrying Samantha. His voice was barely audible, but every wolf heard. “It took her instantly. No pain.”

  He kept going out the back door as tears stung my eyes. Luke wrapped an arm around my shoulders, and I watched my shoes, surprised to see they looked the same. So many people had died in the past two days, but my shoes hadn’t changed. There was a twisted comfort in it.

  He massaged my shoulder. “It’s over now.”

  I lifted my head. “Is it?”

  Shaking my head, I walked out. None of this was Luke’s fault. I wasn’t even sure if I was angry with him. But I was angry. I hated this place. Caldwell had poisoned the soil and the air until I couldn’t breathe.

  Luke hadn’t been here very long. He hadn’t lived with that tyrant, with his threats, being paired with “mates” who made you their property. How could I make him understand?

  And how the hell could I ask him to quit his job and walk away from this chance to be Alpha? I had no doubt he’d be an amazing leader—he already was. He’d banded us together and showed us what this Pack could be. The others believed in him. Some gave up their lives for his vision of the future. For freedom.

  I swiped a tear from the corner of my eye. Was I really selfish enough to take that from him and force him to turn his back on this Pack when they desperately needed a strong leader?

  Shit. Basically I either had to suck it up and stay here, suffocating in the memories, or ask the man I loved to give up his dreams so I could run away. What kind of mate could hurt the other half of her soul like that?

  “Raven?”

  I turned around to find Luke on his crutch in the doorway, concern in his bright blue eyes, and in that moment, the decision was made.